Saved by Momo
by shyauthor1994
Summary: Mugen is interrupted from his wandering by a flying squirrel that leads him to a boy being beaten by a man, but why is momo with a boy? don't own samurai champloo. fuugen fluff


Mugen trudged through the thick brush at a decent pace. The moon had come out not long ago and the insects were singing as the weather had yet to cool enough for winter to find them. He heard a small swishing sound close to his body and frowned. Tuning his ears to his surroundings he heard a scuffle not far away. Curiosity had him turning towards the fray. He hadn't taken three steps in the direction of the noise when something furry crashed into his face.

The thing had claws and knew how to use them. He shouted and cursed. By the time he pulled it off of his face Mugen was angry. Glaring at the small rodent that had scratched up his face something in his mind niggled for him to remember. When the small rat squeaked he knew what it was. This was the little fur ball that lived in Fuu's kimono. Momo! That's what she called him.

"The hell? Where is she rat?"

Momo squeaked and wriggled out of his grip before taking off in the direction he had been about to go. Cursing under his breath Mugen drew his sword and ran after the rodent. When he reached the clearing he noticed what looked like a small boy not much younger than himself curled on the ground as an older man kicked him. Momo soared over to the boy and disappeared into his clothes. Confused Mugen approached them.

"Oi, old man cut it out I'm lookin for a girl."

The man stopped and looked over at him. "Ain't seen no girl just this little shit."

The little shit in question lifted their eyes to Mugen in shock and Mugen had to hide his own shock. His expression turned stormy. "Alright, you've had yer fun now beat it. He don't deserve it anyways."

"Pfft, stay outta it."

Mugen grit his teeth and pointed his sword at the man. "Look I'm gonna give ya the choice to walk away but if ya don't move in tha next ten seconds I'm gonna have to kill ya."

To prove his point Mugen slashed at the strangers clothing barely cutting him just to scare him. The man yelled out in fright and ran in the opposite direction. Mugen put his sword away and crouched down to survey the 'boys' injuries.

"Ah hell Girly what were ya thinkin? Huh? C'mon." He lifted her with no effort and walked in the direction of a run down hut he'd seen a mile or two back down the road.

"M-mugen? Is, is it really you?"

He frowned. "Course it is. You know any other bad ass that's good enough to actually scare someone, tryin to hurt ya, off."

She smiled. "I missed you. How'd you find me?"

He grunted. "Ya damn rat flew into me and scratched up my face."

She giggled quietly and snuggled into his warmth. "M glad." he looked down to find her fast asleep and sighed.

"Dumb broad always getting into trouble, what were ya doin in boys clothes anyways?" he mumbled looking at her peaceful face.

When he reached the hut he opened the door with his foot and put her down in the middle of the one room hut. He lent over her and gently shook her.

"Hey, c'mon Girly wake up."

Her eyes slowly opened. "Wha? Mugen?"

"C'mon, we gotta check yer injuries and you gotta tell me why yer dressin in boys clothes now."

"I, I'm fine really. I can handle my injuries."

He raised a brow. "Worried I'm gonna look? Ya know I won't, ya ain't got nothin to look at."

She frowned. "Times change Mugen. I'm not a little kid any more. I've changed."

Mugen scoffed and grabbed for her clothes. "Jus let me help jeez."

Too shocked at the word help coming from his mouth she sat stone still as he yanked open her clothing. When he got a look at her behind the clothing he understood why she didn't want him to see. Beneath the bruises from her earlier attack he could see the figure of a woman. It was hard to believe it had been four long years since they had parted ways. Looking at her now it wasn't hard to believe at all.

"M-Mugen!"

Mentally shaking his head he looked straight into her eyes. "Quit yer bitchin and sit still. The bastards shoes split the skin there ya need to clean and dress it."

"I know, I can do it myself, really. Could your stop staring jeez. You'd think you've never seen curves before."

Mugen rolled his eyes. "On you, I haven't."

She bristled. "I always told you I wasn't as flat as you thought I was."

"Oh but you were, figures you'd grow someday. Why hide it under men's clothing?"

Her eyes lowered. "My figure was garnering the wrong attention. I didn't want it to happen again so I started pretending to be a boy."

Mugen growled. "Someone raped you." It wasn't a question but she nodded in answer anyway. He pushed off the ground and started pacing the hut like a caged animal. "Hope ya killed the son of a bitch."

Her eyes watered. "I did."

It was so quiet he almost missed it. "What?"

"I did kill him. When he fell asleep I found my tanto and ran him through. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life." Mugen turned to her but she was looking at her hands instead. "Do you think you could go and get some firewood and water so I can clean this cut out?"

He sighed and turned to the door. "Yeah." he had just closed the door when he heard the first muffled sob and cursed himself.

When he returned with the wood he quickly built the fire and lit it silently. He tried to keep an eye on her without her noticing but she could always tell and kept meeting his gaze. He left again and returned with an old chipped bowl and some water. He dug out a pot from the mess of things in the corner and heated it up before looking at her.

"What?"

"Rip off some of the clothes."

"What? No!"

"Ya got two sets 'sides its to clean the wound so hurry up before I do it for ya." When she hesitated he reached forward and ripped some of her sleeve dunking it in the hot water.

"Hey!" he didn't respond merely dragged her forward and yanked open her clothing again. When she yelped in embarrassment he kept his gaze level with hers a moment.

"Quit squirmin. I'm trying to help ya."

When she continued to struggle he sighed and dropped the cloth in the bowl before picking her up and setting her in his lap. He placed his legs over hers until his feet touched the ground inside her calves. His arms wound around her bruised ribs and squeezed. She yelped in pain and stopped moving in his grip.

"Jus sit still okay. I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"I know." She whispered. "I'm sorry I just, I'm not used to this kind of contact. It makes me nervous now for different reasons."

"Jus have some faith in me would ya."

She sighed and turned to lock eyes with him. "I do. You have no idea how much faith and trust I have in you."

He nodded then picked up the cloth and rung it out. "Try not to squirm, might hurt a little."

She bit her lip and waited. When one of his arms held her under the bust she tensed but only moved her hand to his just below her breasts and held tight. At the first swipe she hissed. He paused a moment before continuing. He tried to ignore the pained hisses coming from her as he swiped over the bruises and smaller cuts adorning her ribs. He noted how skinny she was and couldn't help letting out a few comforting sounds and actions.

"Shh." he whispered squeezing her hand to encourage her to do so. "Squeeze as hard as ya want. Ya won't hurt me Girly."

She automatically squeezed as hard as she could when he brushed over the deepest cut and bit down on her moan. Mugen frowned. That looked way too deep for a shoe.

"How'd you get this cut?" when she didn't respond he nudged her with his shoulder. "Fuu."

She gasped. "You never."

"What?"

"You never call me by my name."

"Jus shows how serious I am don't it? Where'd you get the wound from?"

"He had a knife." Mugen froze. "It's okay that's the only shot he got on me before he threw it down to kick me."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Guess kicking the shit out of me was more appealing than slicing me up. Sick bastard."

"Be thankful he thought that or you'd probly be bleedin out or dead by now."

"You would still have come along, you can't pass up a fight."

"Might not've ben in time though."

"Yes, you would have. You're always just on time."

He was slightly taken aback at the conviction in her words. He looked at the back of her head a moment before realising her robe had fallen down her shoulders some. Thinking it over he realised it couldn't do any real harm so he lent forward and placed a feather light kiss onto her exposed shoulder as he continued wiping her wound clean. She tensed at the feel of his lips and drew in a shaky breath.

She opened her mouth to say something but stopped when he moved her off of his lap and pulled her outer layer off ripping it into strips. She sat with her back to him quietly until she felt his body heat directly behind her. His hands were on her robe before she could utter a sound.

"Mugen."

"Shh, I need ta bandage ya up. Can't do that with yer clothes on. I won't peek, sides yer wrappings cover everything anyways."

The tension left her body as she sighed and he took that as a sign to keep going. The fabric slid from her shoulders and once she lifted her arms out it lay resting around her hips. Perfect for him to bandage her waist without seeing anything at all. She lifted her arms when he asked and sat silently as he wrapped her up. When he was done he pulled her robe back up and over her shoulders then waited for her to tie it up. She turned around once it was tied and pressed a light peck to his cheek in thanks.

She left him stunned to lay down close to the fire and closed her eyes praying sleep would take her soon. The pain wasn't bad more like a throbbing but it still bothered her. It wasn't long before he stoked the fire and lay right behind her. Tentatively an arm lay across her waist right where her bandages were. It was almost as if he was trying to feel them through the fabric to remind himself they were there. When she didn't move he scooted closer until there was no space between them.

"Okay?" he asked quietly.

She smiled and reached up to hold the hand at her waist. "Yeah."

His response was to bury his head into the back of her neck and again press a feather light kiss to her skin. She felt the light pressure of his lips and shivered. In response he tightened his hold marginally so as not to hurt her but to keep her warm too.

The next morning Fuu woke up to Mugens snoring and smiled. Normally it would be a sound that grated on her nerves and drove her crazy. Today it helped her know he was still there and let her think a little before he woke up about the night before. He had kissed her twice. Once on the neck and once on the shoulder. To say she was confused was an understatement. She had never described Mugen as gentle or caring in her life but that's exactly how he had been the night before. She knew he cared for her. Why else would he save her all the time?

She turned over to observe his sleeping face as if it would give her the answers she craved. Her eyes mapped his face. The faint scars from one of his last fights to save her. The psycho on the boat had left claw marks on his cheek and a hole in his hand. Reaching up hesitantly she traced the scar with the lightest of touches.

"Why can't I figure out what you want with me? You treat me like a brat then kiss me and take care of me. Give me a sign."

"Will ya shut up and let me sleep if I do?"

Her cheeks flamed."You're awake? How much did you hear?" His eyes opened and she knew he had heard everything.

"I don't sleep next ta no one."

She raised a brow. "You sleep with women all the time Mugen."

He rolled his eyes. "Dumb broad ya ain't listenin. I don't sleep next to no one. Don't look after nobody but myself either."

"But you do that with me. You're always saving me and you looked after me last night. And you slept next to me too."

"Xactly."

It was then with his dark stormy orbs piercing her chocolate ones that something in her brain clicked. "Mugen, is that your round a bout way of telling me you care about me?"

Mugen rolled his eyes. "Guess ya ain't so dumb after all."

She smiled and craned her head to kiss him quickly on the mouth. "Well I care about you too."

He growled low in his throat and bent to kiss her. The moment their lips touched he was in control. The kiss was hot, desperate and rough. Just like him. His arms tightened around her pulling her flush against him. When he bit her lower lip she gasped allowing his tongue access to her mouth. Tentatively she copied what she felt and hoped she was doing something right. A low hum from his chest proved he liked what she was doing so she moved her hands into his hair. She had always wondered what it felt like. Just as she'd thought but better. It was tough and dry, not silky or smooth like Jin's was. That was okay she liked his hair better than Jin's, she always had.

He rolled them over so he was settled on top of her but pulled back when she hissed in pain. His brain cleared as he remembered the wound he had bandaged the night before and what she had told him had happened to her. Cursing he practically jumped away from her. She sat up and looked at him quizzically.

"Mugen?"

"Dammnit, ya okay Girly?"

She smiled. "I'm fine you just put a little too much pressure on the cut that's all." When he didn't move or say anything she crawled over to him and sat in his lap. "I'm okay, really. You'll just have to be a little more gentle with me."

He looked down at her with sadness that pulled at her heart. "Don't know how."

She cupped his face with her hands. "I'll teach you. You know I won't break. I'll be okay in a week or two and you can be as rough with me as you like."

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "Careful watcha wish for girly. I can get pretty rough."

"You won't hurt me, I know that."

His chuckles turned dark. "There's that faith." he nipped at her ear lobe and felt a surge of pride when she shivered.

"Mugen."

"What." he murmured too busy paying attention to her neck.

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Bossy little bitch arentcha?"

She pouted and made a move to slide out of his lap but couldn't when his hands gripped her hips. Her pout turned into a smirk as she turned back to him, her hands finding his hair. Another growl rumbled low in his chest and she couldn't help but wonder how she had never realised how sexy that sound was but she had no time to ponder that thought as Mugen finally did something she had asked for once. He kissed her. Soft, slow and lazy. Who said he couldn't be gentle?


End file.
